I'm with the JFDI camp. I just popped over from RW forum for a look, lurked a few weeks, posted an introduction, changed my forum name and signed up for Outlaw, all within a couple of weeks.

Since committing myself about October last year(yes that can be read two ways), I have bought my first ever bike, relearned to swim, trained and ran my first proper marathon, got the pirate kit and am now looking forward to my first couple of century rides.

You can do it, but first you need to believe in yourself, and in the advice and support on here.

I am not normally into groups or clubs, in fact I've always shied away from anything that might sound clique or too chummy. But really, without the can do attitude, and esprit de corps of this bunch I wouldn't have bothered my arse.

I firmly believe that if anyone wants to be a pirate then they need to try and do things the pirate way. For me it's what sets them apart from all the rest, and the reason I'm happy to wear the yellow and black other than the red and black of my local tri club.

Holgs, i think you have contributed plenty already with your inspirational book. Anyone who hasnt read it should do!

Next event for me is Fritton Tri, be my first open water one. I may be a rubbish swimmer but i worked as a diving instructor for 4 years so feel comfortable in lakes & sea. Looking forward to donning a wetsuit again. First practise session is beginning of May

Lewis (FiveToes) - a new Park Run is starting at Fritton Lake from 5th May. Open water sessions there are 8am - 10.30am on a Saturday so you could incorporate a run & some open water training.

"I may be a rubbish swimmer but i worked as a diving instructor for 4 years so feel comfortable in lakes & sea." let's see how you cope with swimming in OW. one of the original pirates is an experienced diver, yet he always freaked swimming in OW - bizarre.

This is a big topic on this side of the pond. I'll link one of several articles but apparently the main cause of swimming issues is actual panic attacks--nothing to do with your health.

If you've had that almost can't breathe, etc. feeling to start an open water swim, that's the feeling. I had a guy die within 20 feet of me at IMKY last August. No other abnormalites but a panic attack is most likely what did him in.

That is strange. I guess its what your used to. All the open water & speciality courses i taught were in the sea. Andaman sea got quite rough in the winter, a lot bigger waves than a lake for sure think i'll be ok, lol.

Right what you say about panic though. I got the bends trying to stop a divemaster from bolting for the surface once. Experienced but she just lost it in a strong current

the problems often relate to the (lack of) visibility, taste/salinity, fear of the unknown (what's underneath you, buoys, chains etc), noise (motors) and then conditions such as temperature, swell, waves, currents, breakers etc. take a swimmer out of the comfort of a nice warm pool with lines to follow and stick them into a murky lake, then panic can easily set in.

I'm fine in OW as I swim in the sea a lot in summer, but even then you can get the odd freakery like putting your hand on a plastic bag (eeek), or jetskis getting too close (some riders break the close to shore limits) or - if you're my missus - putting your hand on a surfacing cormorant (that freaked both of them!!)

a few of us did IM Florida back in 2007 - lady died in the swim there but that was a cardiac incident but don't know if it was panic induced

Holgs, i think you have contributed plenty already with your inspirational book. Anyone who hasnt read it should do!

Next event for me is Fritton Tri, be my first open water one. I may be a rubbish swimmer but i worked as a diving instructor for 4 years so feel comfortable in lakes & sea. Looking forward to donning a wetsuit again. First practise session is beginning of May

Lewis (FiveToes) - a new Park Run is starting at Fritton Lake from 5th May. Open water sessions there are 8am - 10.30am on a Saturday so you could incorporate a run & some open water training.

Are you doing the Norwich 100?

Didn't take SausageDog long to crumble. I think I already knew it would be this year when I lurked in about October. Straight away though I was entering the single Enduroman!

I went for this because I already had found the site via a friend who knows No 6 from th Arch to Arc. It just went from there.

I'm happy with the £135 I paid to enter rather than the £375 for IMUK or IMW. Too much for me I'm afraid. If I had waited a bit longer I think I'd have gone for the Outlaw as so many people on here seem to be going. However I'll meet others in the New Forest come early June.

Fb, totally agree mate, the low visability issue can certainly get the mind going. I've had to calm myself down a few times in the past to avoid panic with that one. my biggest concern is the 2hr 20 time limit. Whats the best way to increase swim speed please? Similar to running & doing sprints?

I was once told by a tri coach that there wasn't much wrong with my technique, I just needed to swim more - so I did - and guess what? I got quicker.

the other thing to bear in mind - with OW swimming you're usually in a wetsuit which aids buoyancy which for most people gives them a better position in the water so you swim faster as a result, and the wetsuit surface helps reduce friction so again, you'll swim quicker.

plus, in a race, you will also benefit from some drafting on swimmers in front. if you are able to stick on the feet of a swimmer ahead, it can save you up to 20% on energy demand. in reality it's bloody hard to do that without a lot of experience

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